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Saint Pio Prayer Group

Saint Pio Prayer Group

The Saint Pio Prayer Group meetings are held on the fourth Sunday of each month from 3-5 p.m.

General Principles of the Northern VirginiaSaint Pio Prayer Group

"I wish to thank the Lord with you for having given Padre Pio to this generation in this very tormented century. In his love for God and for his brothers, he is a sign of great hope, and he invites us all not to leave him alone in the mission of charity."

Pope John Paul II, SanGiovanni Rotondo, 1987

On January 26, 2003, Arlington Bishop, Paul S. Loverde D.D., S.T.L., J.C.L. officially approved the formation of a Vatican sanctioned Saint Pio Prayer Group at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Alexandria, Virginia. The group is open to all Roman Catholics from any parish. It is affiliated (application pending) with the International Association of Padre Pio Prayer Groups under the control of the Director General of the Foundation. "La Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza" (Home for the Relief of Suffering), which is the hospital founded by Padre Pio and dedicated in 1956.

Operating exclusively under statutes approved by His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, through a letter from the Secretary of State, Cardinal Agostino Casaroli and dated 3 May 1986 (No. 160.9771A), the International Association of Prayer Groups' administrative offices are in San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy.

The five general principles which the Saint Pio Prayer Group will follow are listed below:

Total and unconditional adherence to the teaching of the Catholic Church, guided by the Pope and his Bishops;

Obedience to the Pope and the Bishops whose representative, in each group, is the Spiritual Director;

Prayer with the Church, through the Church, and in the Church;

A willingness to share in the sufferings of Christ, as an effective means of reparation;

Generosity and self-sacrifice in undertaking works of charity for the suffering and the needy.

The Spiritual Director appointed for the group by Bishop Loverde is Fr. Bryan Belli, Associate Pastor of Blessed Sacrament. The prayer Group will function under the direction of Fr. John Cregan, Pastor of Blessed Sacrament. and is established for a period of 5 years. Arthur Scarano (SFO-Candidate), a parishioner of Blessed Sacrament, will serve as leader for a period of 12 months, at which time the group will have election for this position. The Group will meet once every month for prayer. At some point the group will become involved in a local Apostolate and also meet for Spiritual formation purposes.